Wise-cutting- device



L. A. CARLETON.

WIRE CUTTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.15, 1915'.

1 1 95,653 Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

A TTOR/VE V WTED STATE FATENT @FFIQE.

LAUREN A. CARLETO'N, 0F COLLINSVILLE, CONNECTICUT.

"WIRE-CUTTING DEVICE.

Application filed December 15, 1915.

lb all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, LAUREN A. GARLETON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Collinsville, Hartford county, Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVireCutting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a wire cutting device intended more particularly for use in cutting the barbed wire entanglements emplo 'ed as defenses in military operations.

The invention has for an object the provision of a device of this kind of great power, and of simple and compact construction, and which may be conveniently carried upon a gun or rifle so that the latter will serve as a handle for the device.

For further comprehension of the invention reference will be had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate the same parts in the different views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an embodiment of the device showing it attached to a rifle. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the device detached, looking in the direction of the arrow 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the device detached, the view being taken on the line 3-3 Fig. 1.

As here shown the wire cutting device comprises a fixed jaw 2 and a movable jaw 3, the jaw 2 being formed integral with a base 4 having a transversely grooved extension 5 by means of which the device may be secured to the rifle, being here shown mounted upon the forward or barrel supporting extension of the stock of the rifle a portion of which is shown at 6 and clamped thereto by the band or strap 7 passing over the grooved extension 5 and which may be tightened by suitable means, as the screw 8 taking through the ends of the strap.

Formed integrally on the base 4 are a pair of standards 10 between and to which the movable jaw 3 is suitably pivoted as by the pin 11 supported in the standards and pass ing through an extension or car 12 formed integral with the jaw 3. These standards 10 have stop projections extending forwardly, that is toward the mouth of the jaws, therefrom and which are adapted to be engaged by the side portions of a weighted head 14: formed on the jaw 3 and to act Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au 22, 1916.

Serial No. 66,826.

as an abutment to limit the closing movement of the jaw 3 when the latter is just making contact with the j aw 2.

As shown in Fig. l the working faces of the jaws are in extended contact or, as here shown, in contact throughout substantially their whole length, when the jaws are closed, in the present instance the jaw 3 acting as a. cutting aw and the jaw 2 as an abutment jaw as will be understood more readily from Fig. 3 where the jaw 3 is shown as presenting a cutting edge and the jaw 2 a widened abutment surface. The stop projections or abutments 13 as will be seen prevent the jaws damaging one another. As shown in Fig. 1 the jaw 3 may be pivoted on an aXis offset from the line of contact of the jaws to cause the movable jaw to approach the fixed jaw at an oblique angle. The jaw 3 is yieldingly held in closed position by means of a helical spring 16 disposed in a socket 17 in the extension 12, to the rear of the pivot 11, and bearing against the base 4.

The forward or entrance ends of the jaws 2 and 3 are preferably flared outwardly from one another to facilitate the insertion of the wire, the device being preferably attached to the rifle with such flared ends pointing toward the butt of the rifle although this position is not essential to the operation of the device. In use the rifle is inserted under the wire, or mass of wires, to be cut and upon the rifle being then pulled backwardly and upwardly the wire is drawn in between the ends of the jaws and may be severed by a blow from any suitable implement, as the butt of a bayonet, upon the head 14.

As will be apparent this device is of compact construction and great power and may be readily attached to or detached from a rifle and, while attached thereto in no way inftlerferes with the usual functions of the r1 e.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely diiferent embodiments of my inven tion designed without departing from the scope thereof I intend that all the matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative merely of an operative embodiment of my invention and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the class specified comprising, a base adapted for attachment to a rifle,

a fixed jaw carried by said base, a movable jaw pivoted to said base, the said jaws being so disposed with respect to one another as to have their working faces in extended contact when the jaws are closed.

2. A device of the class specified comprising, a base adapted for attachment to a rifle, a fixed jaw carried by said base, a movable jaw pivoted to said base, the said jaws being so disposed with respect to one another as to have their working faces in contact substantially throughout their length when the jaws are closed.

3. A device of the class specified comprising, a base adapted for attachment to a rifle, a fixed jaw carried by said base, a movable jaw pivoted to said base, the said jaws being so disposed with respect to one another as to have their working faces in extended contact when the jaws are closed, said working faces being flared away from one another at the entrance to the jaws, for the purpose set forth.

4. A device of the class specified comprising, a base adapted for attachment to a rifle, a fixed jaw carried by said base, a movable jaw pivoted to said base, the said jaws being so disposed with respect to one another as to have their working faces in extended contact when the jaws are closed and a spring yieldingly holding said jaws in closed position.

5. A device of the class specified comprising, a base adapted for attachment to a rifle, a fixed jaw carried by said base, a movable aw pivoted to said base, the said jaws being so disposed with respect to one another as to have their working faces in extended contact when the aws are closed and an abutment member adapted to engage the movable jaw and limit movement thereof when the jaws are closed.

6. A device of the class specified comprising, a base adapted for attachment to a rifle a fixed jaw carried by said base, a movable jaw pivoted to said'base, the said jaws being so disposed with respect to one another as to have their working faces in extended contact when the jaws are closed said movable jaw having a weighted head presenting a, striking surface.

7 A device of the class specified comprising, a base adapted for attachment to a rifle, a pair of relatively movable jaws carried thereby, one of said jaws presenting a cutting edge and the other a widened abutment surface,

said jaws being so disposed with respect to.

one another as to have said cutting edge and abutment surface in contact throughout substantially the length of the jaws when the latter are closed.

8. A device of the class specified comprising, a base adapted for attachment to a rifle, a pair of relatively movable jaws carried thereby, one of said jaws presenting a cutting edge and the other a widened abutment surface, said jaws being so disposed with respect to one another as to have said cutting edge and abutment surface in contact throughout substantially the length of the jaws when the latter are closed and an abutment member independent of the said abut ment surface adapted to limit relative movement of said'jaws toward one another when the said cutting edge and abutment surface are in contact.

9. A device of the class specified comprisin g, a base adapted for attachment to a rifle, a fixed jaw carried by said base, a movable jaw pivoted to said base, the said jaws being so disposed with respect to one another as to have their working faces in contact throughout substantially their whole length when the aws are closed, the said movable jaw being pivoted to said base on an axis offset from the line of contact of said jaws, for the purpose set forth.

10. A device of the class specified comprising, a base having a transversely grooved extension whereby it may be removably attached to a rifle, a fixed jaw presenting a widened abutment surface carried thereby, a movable jaw presenting a cutting edge pivoted to said base, said cutting edge and abutment surface being in contact throughout their length when the jaws are closed, a spring holding said aws yieldingly in closed position, an abutment member independent of said abutment surface adapted to limit closing movement of said movable jaw when the said cutting edge and abutment surface are in contact, and a weighted head carried by said movable jaw and presenting a striking surface.

Signed at Collinsville, Hartford county, Connecticut, this 9th day of December,

LAUREN A. CARLETON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing theCommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

